The Situation: 15 October 2008 - 6th March 2010
The West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society (who meet on the 1st Saturday of each month in Stafford at 2pm), spent considerable time and resource contacting; The Battlefields Trust, English Heritage, The Sealed Knot and the English Civil War Society, Staffordshire County Council and numerous other organisations with a view to erecting a monument, information panel and investigating the possibility of establishing an annual re-enactment/living history type event on the Stafford County Showground less than a mile away from the battlefield site.
They were given permission by Stafford Borough Council to take over and revive their original initiative and their existing planning permission. But, as a satisfactory agreement could not be reached with the landowner of the original site with the planning permission, the indefatigable project co-ordinator (Dave Cooper) procured a new agreement with the RAF and the Ministry of Defence within their No.6 site on the Hopton Heath battlefield and a new planning permission was obtained which remains in force until 18 October 2008, before which time a start will be made, thus securing the planning permission indefinitely.
The RAF has now left Stafford and has been replaced by the Royal Signals and Gurkhas, who again are very keen and pleased to be associated with this project. A new 25 year lease agreement has been finalised with the MoD Defence Estates and revised quotations for a stone for the monument, bronze plaque and information panel have now also been obtained.
We are very pleased to announce that the foundation for Phase 1 of the project was dug and a reinforced concrete slab formed on Wednesday 15 October 2008, on which to site the standing stone memorial, with an unveiling ceremony planned for the afternoon of Sunday 22 March 2009 commencing at 2pm (the nearest weekend to the 19th March anniversary of the battle).
Fund raising and awareness activities still continue aiming towards the installation of an interpretation panel comprising of Phase 2 of the project, which it is hoped will be the necessary catalyst for the adoption of an annual, living history/re-enactment type event to be staged on the custom built County Showground less than a mile away from this battlefield.
The Situation: 21 November 2008
Members of the West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society visited R C Read Stonemasons of Hollington near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire on the morning of Friday 21 November to view the progress to the monument stone.
The austere stone, that surprised some members with its large proportions (demonstrated with Dave Cooper standing next to it) were considered to be well inline with the monument's requirements, and the preparations continue.
The Situation: 6 January 2009
Hopton Heath Battlefield Memorial Project steering meeting delegates on site amid the snow, including from left to right Chas. Dale (SSO MoD Stafford), Chris Coogan (Chairman West Mids MHS), Jim Sheehan (Sealed Knot),
Dave Cooper (Project Co-ordinator West Mids MHS) and Chris Ecclestone (Treasurer West Mids MHS).
The Situation: 19 January 2009
The completed sandstone monument with bronze plaque attached on transport wagon en-route for Hopton Heath ready for concreting into position ready for the unveiling ceremony of 22 March 2009.
The Situation: 7th February 2009.
Although the current snowy and frosty conditions have temporaily delayed the concreting into position of the memorial stone itself, preparations continue for the approaching fund-raising and awareness day, prior to the unveiling ceremony. The fund-raising and awareness raising event will take place a fortnight before the unveiling ceremony on Saturday 7th March in Stafford Marketplace, supported by members of the Sealed Knot in period costume/uniform.
The Situation: 26th February 2009
Following lifting into position courtesy of a MoD telescopic handler machine and securing with further concrete, the concrete plinth shuttering was constructed on thursday 26 February 2009 and the concrete plinth poured, completing the West Midland Branch of the Military Historical Society's construction phase.
In the meantime the Mod are also in the process of installing a 8m x 8m wood chip surround to the memorial, and to whom we are again indebted for their continual assistance with the project.
Unveiling Ceremony Awareness And Fund-Raising Day, Saturday 7th March 2009, Stafford Market Square.
Sir George Lisles Regiment of the Sealed Knot march into Stafford Market place early on the morning of Saturday 7 March 2009 in support of the Hopton Heath Battlefield Monument Project awareness day.
Sealed Knot musketeer (left), Chris Coogan (centre left, West Mids Military Historical Society), Lady Mayor of Stafford (centre), Dave Cooper (right, West Mids Branch MHS project organiser and coordinator) at the awareness and fund raising event in the Stafford Market Square, 7 March 2009.
Sealed Knot pikemen drill during the Hopton Heath Battlefield unveiling awareness event in Stafford Market Place on Saturday 7th March 2009.
Dave Cooper of the West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society in discussion with David Kidney MP during the Hopton Heath Battlefield Unveiling Ceremony awareness day in Stafford Market Suare on Saturday 7th March 2009.
Hugo Gell (descendent of Sir John Gell, Dave Cooper and Chris Coogan of the West Midlands branch of the Military Historical Society flanked by members of Gell's Regt of the Sealed knot during the Hopton Heath Battlefield Monument unveiling ceremony awareness day in Stafford Market Square on Saturday 7th March 2009.
To Remind Members Of The Public About The Hopton Heath Battlefield Memorial Project Unveiling Ceremony, And To Aid Members Of The Public In Finding The Ceremony, Members Have Erected A Temporary Sign On 14th March 2009, To Be Removed Following The Event.
The Situation 16th October 2009
The situation 6th March 2010
Previous Publicity And Awareness.
A lot of publicity and hard work by branch members resulted in a 3-part folding information sheet, radio interviews on Signal Radio, Radio Stoke, local newspapers, the May issue of Staffordshire Life magazine and the March/April 2005 edition of the Armourer Magazine besides numerous displays and talks. Unfortunately Dave Cooper then was studying for his Masters degree and has been less able to volunteer his time until September 2008.
